Zebra Swallowtail butterflies (Protographium marcellus) are usually in constant motion, so I was excited on Wednesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge when the one that I was chasing landed. My initial shot was the second one below that shows the pattern on this butterfly that is responsible for its name. I was then able to circle around and capture an eye-to-eye shot, one of my favorite shooting angles for insects, and it was a bonus that the butterfly had its wings fully extended.
If you look closely at the second shot, you will see that this butterfly is a survivor. Both of the “swallowtails” and the lower portion of one of the wings appear to be missing. As I have noted in recent postings, butterflies somehow manage to fly and do most of their normal activities despite significant wing damage. If you are interested in viewing an image of an intact Zebra Swallowtail, check out this 2017 posting that was entitled “Zebra Swallowtail.”
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
I love the low angle on that first photo, Mike. A little lower and the Zebra would be a line 🙂
Thanks, Dan. If I had gotten much lower, my knees might also have locked up–I was crouching pretty low for the shot.
Ouch!
What a haven this zebra swallowtail pair of posts has given me, Mike. I appreciated your description, then looked at the first photo and the second, in much appreciation for the beauty of this lovely and unique butterfly. I have never seen a zebra swallowtail. I liked seeing it eye-to-eye as well as the overview, with the red antennae and the mesmerizing zebra markings. Then I jumped on the link to the 2017 version and heard myself gasp, whispering “Oh my God” when I saw the uninjured version. What a glorious creature! Those long tails and the coloring, and your exquisite photo are magnificent. We get to the end of the summer and butterflies show their battle wounds, which I, like you, consider a privilege to witness because we are looking at a survivor. I also like the image of you in your chase to admire and record this beautiful creature. What you described and displayed is the ultimate joy in outdoor adventure.
Wow, Jet. Your comment really made my day. Zebra Swallowtails are found only in the southeastern part of the US, so it is definitely not a butterfly that I saw when I was growing up in Massachusetts. I remember reading up on them when I saw my first one a few years ago and learned that they are closely associated with pawpaw trees. The problem was that I had never seen a pawpaw tree. I love seeing the long tails of the Zebra Swallowtail that flutter as it flies. When I looked at my photos of uninjured Zebra Swallowtails I noticed how bright the colors were–I did not realize how much my survivor’s colors had faded. With some species I may exaggerate a bit when I talk about chasing them, but that is not the case here–I walked back and forth multiple times as I tracked this butterfly in the air, watching and waiting for it to land. Have a wonderful weekend, Jet.
The eye-to-eye view stopped me dead in my tracks. I’m glad your knees are OK.
Thanks, Michael. I can crouch pretty low, but I don’t like to push it beyond a certain point. As the old saying goes, getting down is not the problem–the problem is getting back up. 🙂
Yes. I’m aware. Very. 😉
Cool shots
Thanks, Molly.
Thank you Mike again for the wonderful images and beautifully descriptive drama of your photography explanations. Have a great weekend. Cheers.🦋🙏
How lucky to see this butterfly, nice shots !
Thanks. I am particularly grateful to see butterflies fluttering about as their flight season gradually winds down.
Beautiful butterfly! I have a photo I took of a dragonfly with only three wings getting along just fine! It was flying all around my clothes line as I was hanging laundry. Was there long enough for me to go get my camera! 🙂
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Thanks, Mitzy. It is incredible to see that a dragonfly with only three wings can fly. Somehow they are able to do it through determination and compensation.